Heat exchanger



Feb. 1, 149. T. TINKER HEAT EXCHANGER Filed March 22, 1947- 2Sheets-Sheet 2 h INYENTOR. T022 and Wnkei:

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 1, 1949 HEAT EXCHANGER Townsend Tinker, OrchardPark, N. Y., assignor to Ross Heater & Manufacturing Co.,Inc.,'Bufi'alo, N. Y., a corporation oi New York Application March 22,1947, Serial No. 736,460

1 i This invention is directed to improvements in heat exchangers of thetype which includes an enclosing cylindrical shell and spaced parallelbaflle plates formed in adjacency with cutaway portions angularlylocated whereby the externally flowing liquid or fluid medium travels in.a tortuous or sinusoidal path from end to end of the shell. In suchexchangers the external fluid medium flows athwart the tube nest and theefficiency of the heat exchanger corresponds to the flow,quantitatively, of such medium through the spaces between and among thetubes. As a corollary the flow of the external fluid medium inandthrough the spaces between the tube nest and the shell is substantiallywithout practical efiect in the heat exchanging function and, as aresult, the efliciency oi the exchanger is impaired in degreecorresponding to the percentage of the reduction of the volume of theflow of external fluid medium through the spaces between and among thetubes.

This fact has long been recognized and various arrangements have beenproposed for the sealing of the spaces between. the tube nest and theshell from the path of transverse flow of the external fluid medium,thereby to cause such medium to flow in maximum degree, quantitatively,through the spaces between and among the tubes.

The standard construction of such exchangers is characterized by a baseconstruction which 6 Claims. (Cl. 257-224) includes a fixed head inwhich ends of the tubes are secured, bafile plates having openingsthrough which the tubes extend and rods and sleeves as the means forsupporting the baffle plates individually and as a series, the rodspassing through openings in the baflle plates, having ends secured inthe fixed head and free ends carrying nuts or the like which bear uponthe adjacent baffle plate, and the sleeves maintaining the properspacing of the baiile plates and being mounted on the rods.

The prior arrangements proposed for the sealing of the spaces betweenthe tube nest and the shell have the disadvantages of substantiallyincreasing the weight of the exchanger, entailing various special costlyand time consuming assembly operations and substantially increasing thecost of manufacture.

The object of the invention is to provide a heat exchanger in which thespaces between the tube nest and the shell are effectively sealed fromthe path of flow of the external fluid medium through the tube nest by aconstruction in which the additional weight necessitated by the sealingmeans is reduced to a minimum, special assembly operations areeliminated and manufacturing cost, in respect to the provision of thesealing means, is reduced to a minimum.

For the accomplishment of this object the invention utilizes the sleevesfor the support and spacing of the baiile plates and tubes adjacent thesleeves and provides a construction in which a sleeve carries sealingwing means, the sleeve and the sealing wing means, prior to the assemblyof the exchanger, being economically combined as an integer in arelative arrangement such that in the assembly of the exchanger certaintubes adjacent the sleeve will, without special assembly operations,provide a positive lock for suitably holding the sealing wing meansagainst angular displacement from its operative position. In variousstandard designs of heat exchangers the tie rods are located quite closeto the inner circumferential face of the shell and in other standarddesigns they are located somewhat remote from such face. The inventionis applicable in each instance.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a heat exchanger inwhich the features of the invention are incorporated.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view in the same plane as thatof Figure 2 but showing the sealing wing means as consisting ofoppositely directed sealing wings.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an integer, applicable to theconstruction shown in Figures 1 and 2, composed of a sleeve and a singlesealing wing.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an integer, applicable to theconstruction shown in Figure 3, composed of a sleeve and oppositelydirected sealing wings.

The heat exchanger to which the improvement is applicable may be of anywell known design characterized by a tube nest, a surrounding shell,transverse baiile plates arranged within the shell and through which thetubes extend, the baffle plates being formed to provide for thesinusoidal flow of the external fluid medium, and tie rods and sleevesfor the support and proper spacing of the baflle plates. It willtherefore be understood that the particular design shown in the drawingis selected merely for the purpose of exemplification.

The form illustrated includes a fixed tube sheet or head I in which theends of the tubes 2 are secured and a casing 3 below the head i whichprovides the usual inlet and outlet chambers (not shown) for the mediumwhich flows through the tubes 2. The tubes 2 are enclosed in asurrounding shell 4 within which the external fluid medium flows, theshell having adjacent its inner or lower end the usual inlet pipeconnection 5 and adjacent its upper or outer end the usual outlet pipeconnection (not shown). The tubes 2 are connected at their upper orouter ends to any suitable head, usually a floating head, theillustration of which is deemed unnecessary since such heads, in variousforms, are well known standard features of heat exchangers and are shownin many patents of the prior art. The shell 4, head I and easing 3 aresecured together in any suitable manner, for example, by flanges 6 and lat the inner end of the shell 4 and the adjacent end of the casing 3,threaded stems 8 passing through alining openings in the flanges .6 andI, and nuts 9 upon the projecting ends of the stems 8 and which bearwith clamping pressure upon the adjacent faces of the flanges 6 and 1.

The heat exchanger also includes the usual baffle plates [0 arranged inspaced relation in parallel planes normal to the axis of the shell 4 andhaving opening through which the tubes 2 extend with a close fit in theusual manner. The plates ill have curved edges which conform to thecurvature of the shell, are contiguous to its inner circumferentialface, and are interrupted to provide suitable windows H through whichthe external fluid flows. plate II] to provide a window II is, in theembodiment shown, in the form of a straight transverse edge l2subtending an are provided by the curved edge of the plate and ofsuitably greater than. semicircular extent. The windows II are arrangedin the usual manner at relatively opposite sides of adjacent plates 10whereby the external fluid medium will flow through the shell in theusual tortuous or sinusoidal path, passing through a ,window at one sideof a lower plate, thence through the nest of tubes 2 and through theoppositely located window in the next upper plate, its flow beingcontinued in this manner until it reaches the outlet (not shown) at theupper or outer end of the shell.

The means for support of the plates ill includes the usual tie rods l3.These are secured at their lower or inner ends as at II in the head Iand extend through, and have a close fit in, openings provided thereforin the plates 10. The upper ends of the tie rods carry the usualelements (not shown) which bear with clamping pressure against the outerface of the outer or uppermost plate Ill through which the tie rodsextend. The tie rods extend through and cooperate with spacing sleeve[5, these being arranged between the several pairs of adjacent bafileplates, the innermost of such sleeves being arranged between the inneror lowermost baiile plate ll] through which the tie rods extend and thehead I. The sleeves I5 serve in the usual manner for the direct supportof the baflle plates and the determination of their spacing. The sleeveswhich are located within the windows II will, of course, be twice thelength of the sleeves which are located between overlapping portions ofadjoining baiiie plates.

The tube nest composed of the tubes 2 may have any suitable or standardform and the tubes may have any suitable spacing, according to the Thecutaway of each ill requirements of the particular service for which theheat exchanger may be designed and the particular requirements of theexposed tube area in such service. In the heat exchanger shown the tubenest has the standard generally hexagonal cross sectional outline.

Necessities of design and manufacture require that substantial spaces l6be left between the shell and the several adjoining tube segments of theperimetric row of tubes. The flow of the external fluid medium throughthe spaces I6 is a disadvantage in that in such spaces the externalfluid medium performs negligible useful work in the exchange of heatwith the fluid or liquid flowing through the tubes 2. Thereby theefficiency of the external fluid medium in the heat exchanging functionis impaired in proportion to its diversion, quantitatively, into andthrough the spaces i6, the greater the percent of the medium flowingthrough such spaces the greater the percent of the reduction of themedium flowing through the spaces between and among the tubes 2 andhence the greater the impairment of the heat exchanging efficiency. Theobjection is overcome by sealing oil the spaces l6 whereby the externalfluid medium will flow substantially in its entirety through the spacesbetween and among the tubes 2.

According to the invention this object is accomplished by utilizing in aunique cooperative capacity the spacing sleeves l5 and adjacent tubes.This cooperative capacity is effected by providing the spacing sleeveswith sealing wing means in functional association with adjacent tubes,each sleeve and its associated sealing wing means being originallycombined as an integer. Such combination of a sleeve and its associatedwing means may be effected in a variety of ways and in an indefinitenumber of forms embodying the same principles and individuahy differingmerely in details of outline and modes of physical combination of thesleeve and wing means.

In certain designs of heat exchangers, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, thetie rods I3 are located so close to the shell that the sleeves l5themselves sufficiently seal the space between the tie rods and theshell. In such cases the sealing wing means consists of a single wing I!carried by the sleeve and projecting inwardly from it, the wing I! beingcoextensive in length with the sleeve by which it is carried and, in thegenerally radial inward direction, having a dimension such that itextends between two adjacent tubes which, depending on the location ofthe tie rods relatively to the tube nest, may be tubes of the perimetricrow or a tube of such row and an adjacent tube of the next innermostrow.

Thus Figure 2 shows two wings I! oppositely located in the space betweenthe overlapping portions of adjacent bafile plates and which extendbetween tubes of the perimetric row and two other wings I! oppositelylocated and which are carried by the sleeves that extend through thewindows I I, these latter wings extending between a tube of theperimetric row and an adjacent tube of the next innermost row. It willof course be apparent that at least three tie rods will pass througheach baffle plate H], at least two of which, oppositely located, willpass through the overlapping portions. of adjacent plates and theintermediate of which will pass through the window ll of the nextuppermost plate. It will also be obvious that the wings associated withthe tie rods which pass through the windows II will have twice thelength of the wings associated reference to any plane normal to the axesof the sleeves the passages constituted by the several spaces It arecompletely and efiectively sealed, throughout the lineal 'extent'ot thetube nest, against the flow of the iluid medium whereby such medium willsubstantially wholly flow through the spaces between and among the tubes2 and will have the greatest possible efficiency in the heat exchangingfunction.

In positioning the wings to extend between pairs of adjacent tubesvariations inthe angles of the planes of the'wlngs to longitudinaldiametric planes of the exchanger are necessitated by detailcharacteristics of the particular design of the heat exchanger. This isillustrated in Figure 2 where the angular positions of the wings at thetop and bottom of thefigure are different from the angular positions ofthe wings at the sides of the figure. In assembling the exchanger thewings may be freely positioned in the particular angular relationsrequired because the sleeves It by which they are carried are looselymounted on the tie rods in accordance wtih standard practice. Thisfreedom of wing positioning in the assembly of the heat exchanger is,however, not permitted to interfere with the permanent retention of thewings in their proper operative positions athwart the spaces I8 because,in such positions, the wings will positively be held against angulardisplacement about the tie rods as axes by the adjacent tubes betweenwhich they extend. Thereby the permanence of the seals provided by thewings is positively insured without the requirement of any specialassembly operations and hence without any increment of manufacturing ormaintenance cost.

Each wing I? may be combined with its companion sleeve i5 as an integerin any of various ways. As shown in the drawings the element composed ofa sleeve and an associated wing is economically formed by a simplerolling operation as a result of which the wing projects tangentiallyfrom the sleeve.

The heat exchanger may have any suitable number of tie rods. Four tierods, as shown, is the minimum number and is required by mostinstallations. However sundry designs may require more than four tierods, 6. g., six or eight tie rods. The number of wings used to seal offthe passage constituted by the spaces I6 should be sufilcient in anyplane normal to the axes of the tie rods, to achieve the effectivenessof the seal. Where four tie rods are used it is ideal practice toassociate the sealing wings with each tie rod. Where more than four tierods are used, e. g., six or eight, satisfactory results may be obtainedin certain cases by limiting the association of the wings to a number oftie rods less than the total number.

Figure 3 shows a design of heat exchanger wherein the tie rods i 3 arelocated at a distance from the inner circumferential face of the shellsuch that the sleeves i5 will not be effective to seal the interveningspaces. In connection with such heat exchangers each sleeve, as shown inFigures 3 and 5, is provided with an additional wing Ila projecting in adirection opposite to that in which the wing i1 projects and extendingthrough the spaces between the sleeve .and the inner circumferentialface of the shell, thereby to prevent the external fluid medium fromflowing through such space and to complete the sealing of the space i8.

The double wing and sleeve integer has the same capacity, as abovedescribed in connection with the single wing and sleeve integer, forvariation of the angular operative positions of the wings il inaccordance with the locations of the adjacent tubes between which, forthe locking function, the wings are to extend. Of course in suchvariations the wings He will have corresponding variations oi theirangular positions with reference to the inner circumferential face ofthe shell with resultant variations in the spacing of their straightlongitudinal edges from the shell. Such variations oi spacing will bewithout appreciable effect upon the efllciency of the sealing functionsince the spaces between the straight longitudinal edges oi the wingsIla and the shell will, in any event, be so small that the externalfluid medium will not flow through them in any appreciable degree.

The element wherein the sleeve is provided with two oppositely directedwings may be made as an integer in various ways. The form shown inFigure 5 is economically fashioned by a simple rolling operation as aresult of which the wings project in opposite direction tangentiallyfromthe sleeve.

It will be noted that in the construction of the heat exchanger witheither form of sleeve and wing integer no special assembly operationsare required. The heat exchanger is built up in the ordinary manner, theonly requirement being that the spacing sleeves be so positioned Withreference to their axes that the wings i1 will extend between theadjacent tubes of an adjacent pair, all as above explained.

I claim:

1. For use as an element of a heat exchanger of the type characterizedby a longitudinal nest or tubes, an enclosing shell, spaced baifleplates in diametrical planes of the shell severally formed to provideangularly located adjacent flow windows, inlet and outlet connectionsfor the flow of a fluid medium through the tubes of the nest, inlet andoutlet connections for the flow externally of the tubes of a fluidmedium which travels in a mean axial direction of the shell through thespaces between adjacent baille plates and through the windows, a baseconstruction which includes a fixed head in which end portions of thetubes are secured, the tubes passing through openings in the baiileplates, and tie rods secured in said head and located beyond theperimeter of the tube nest through openings in the bafile plates:integers for the support and mutual spacing of the bafile plates and forthe sealing of the circumferential space between the tube nest and theshell from the flow of the external medium, whereby such medium willflow substantially wholly through the spaces between and among the tubescomprising the nest, the integers severally consisting of a spacing andsupporting sleeve loosely mounted on a tie rod between adjacent bailleplates and associated wing means rigidly carried by and projecting fromthe sleeve and extending athwart said space between the adjacent tubesof an adjacent pair.

2. For use as an element of a heat-exchanger otherwise as set forth inclaim 1' but wherein ner circumferential face of the shell: an integeras set forth in claim 1 wherein the supporting sleeve seals the spacebetween the tie rod upon which it is mounted and the shell.

3. For use as an element of a heat exchanger otherwise as set forth inclaim 1 but wherein the tie rods are located at a substantial distancefrom the inner circumferential face of the shell: an integer as setforth in claim 1 wherein the wing means associated with the sleeveconsists of oppositely directed wings, one of which extends athwart thespace between the tube nest and the shell and between the adjacent tubesof an adjacent pair and the other of which extends athwart said spacesubstantially to the inner circumferential face of the shell.

4. A heat exchanger of the type characterized by a longitudinal nest oftubes, an enclosing shell, spaced baffle plates in diametrical planes ofthe shell severally formed to provide angularly located adjacent flowwindows, inlet and out let connections for the flow of a fluid mediumthrough the tubes of the nest, inlet and outlet connections for the flowexternally of the tubes of a fluid medium which travels in a mean axialdirection of the shell through the spaces between adjacent baffle platesand through the windows, a base" construction which includes a fixedhead in which end portions of the tubes are secured, the tubes passingthrough opening in the battle plates, tie rods secured in said head,located adjacent the perimeter of the tube nest and extending throughopenings in the baffle plates,

and sleeves ,for the support and spacing of the baffle plates looselymounted on the tie rods between adjoining baffle plates: wherein thesleeves are provided with rigidly attached wing means which in eachinstance includes a wing projecting from an associated sleeve athwartthe space between the tube nest and the shell and between adjacent tubesof an adjacent pair.

5. A heat exchanger as set forth in claim 4 wherein the sleeves seal thespaces between the tie rods and the shell and are severally providedwith a rigidly attached projecting wing which.

extends athwart the space between the tube nest and the shell andbetween adjacent tubes of an adjacent pair.

6. A heat exchanger as set forth in claim 4 wherein the wing meansconsists of of wings projecting in opposite directions from theassociated sleeve, one of the wings extending athwart the space betweenthe tube nest and the shell and between the adjacent tubes of anadjacent pair and the other extending athwart such space substantiallyto the inner circumferential face of the shell.

TOWNSEND TINKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Coulter et a1. Dec. 12, 1939

